8 week old turkeys with foamy yellow poop

[Jsmith24202]

I have 2 8 week old turkeys with foamy yellow poop. I have read other post and am confused to wether to treat for blackhead or coccidia. Both turkeys have been slightly hunched and feathers ruffled as well.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Blackhead is a real problem with turkeys and usually is presented with listlessness and foamy yellow poop.

If these are your first and only turkeys on your property, bought as young poults from a feed store (hatchery bred), and you do not also own chickens, then you can process that it might be coccidiosis.

If however, you have chickens also on the property, and have had them for awhile before turkeys, or have had turkeys on that field before, I would suspicion blackhead.

Chickens typically are not greatly affected by the protozoa (the infective agent in blackhead), but carry the cecal worms that can host the protozoa and can pass it to turkeys. However, direct transmission is also possible between turkeys, and contaminated land, hence, the question are these your first turkeys.

There really isn't a good treatment for blackhead in turkeys in the US, unless you can get turkey medicated feed with Nitarsone, while there is for coccidiosis (amprolium based Corid easily bought at the feed store). So if you haven't had turkeys before, or chickens now, then I would consider treating for coccidiosis with Corid. Note that coccidiosis typically presents as listless, droop, with very watery running poo, often with blood taint, but can be seen with yellow foam.

Other worm build up can also present with yellow foam.

Thus it would be best if possible to get a vet fecal float to help determine what you are dealing with.

My thoughts.

LofMc

Some more literature to read
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1285/control-of-blackhead-disease/
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/histomoniasis/overview-of-histomoniasis-in-poultry

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/coccidiosis/overview-of-coccidiosis-in-poultry

 

[Jsmith24202]

Thank u so much